Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 292 1st Aceh Global Conference (AGC 2018) The Cycle and Risk of Conflict in Aceh Post MoU Helsinki Iqbal Ahmady, Ubaidullah, Effendi Hasan Faculty of Social and Political Sciences, Syiah Kuala University Banda Aceh, Indonesia [email protected] Abstract—Aceh has gone through two phases of conflict. Started by the DI/TII movement lead by Tgk. Daud Beureueh in 1953 until 1962. Aceh has around 14 years with no conflict after that, soon the occurrence of Acheh-Sumatra National Liberation Front or Aceh Freedom Movement (GAM) was declared by Hasan Tiro in 1976. The reoccurrence of conflict in Aceh was the result of unfinished or incomplete conflict management. The efforts taken by the Government of Indonesia was not thoroughly done. The fulfillment of promises was not seriously done, and less conflict resolution actions create new conflict. After the signing of MoU Helsinki in 2005 which ends the prolonged conflict with GAM, there is a concern of conflict reoccurrence in Aceh. Some factors which become the potency for conflict reoccurrence can be analyzed as a preventive action for a new conflict. Also as the solution for conflict resolution for other areas that have a similar case with the conflict cases in Aceh. Keyword—Aceh; conflict; combatants I. INTRODUCTION Memorandum of Understanding Helsinki which was agreed by the Government of Indonesia (GoI) and Freedom of Aceh Movement (GAM) on August 15, 2005, in Finland is a peace agreement which has been awaiting by the people of Aceh. Crisis Management Initiative (CMI) acted as mediator lead by Finland President Martii Ahtisaari. This becomes a historical event in the basic foundation of Aceh democracy, an area that had a prolong conflict for 30 years (1976-2005) The MoU Helsinki was also born right after the disaster in Aceh that was Tsunami on December 26, 2004. Aceh Peace is the product of MoU Helsinki which has been 13 years old, peace that many Acehnese dreamed for. The conflict itself had many civilian victims more than those who were armed. Thus many people expected the peace could sustain eternally due to what peace has brought to the life of Acehnese. The security to work and safety in doing daily activities became the main reasons to maintain and sustain the peace. The Government of Indonesia also compensated Aceh by having one law product that it the Aceh Government Law which is known as UUPA. This law was established in 2006 as a guarantee for the special treatment for Aceh and to tighten the peace between GoI and GAM. The legalization of this UUPA on July 11, 2006, by the Indonesian House of Representative. While the legalization by the President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono was on August 01, 2006. UUPA has brought changes for the sustainability of politics and democracy in Aceh. These can be seen from the policies that produce other rules for the interest of Acehnese. II. METHOD The method used is a qualitative method by conducting library studies, documents and results report from the peace civil society organization and information from various print media. Data analysis in this study used descriptive analytical. Technical analysis that is content analysis. Following the flow of Miles and Huberman, the analysis was carried out as an interaction process consisting of data reduction, and conclusions. Data reduction is made in the process, focusing, simplifying, abstracting data that appears in writing or transcription. The results of the data from the literature study are how the potential burden of conflict that will emerge post-peace between GAM and the Government of Indonesia is carried out reduction (Miles and Huberman, 1999: 10). This process is intended in accordance with the main things and focused according to what is needed so that the results obtained are directed at the research objectives. This activity is not a separate one from the analysis, but a part of the analysis. Display data is a process that is generally interpreted as organizing, assembling information that allows drawing conclusions and Copyright © 2018, the Authors. Published by Atlantis Press. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). 230 Advances in Social Science, Education and Humanities Research, volume 292 actions. After doing the process, the next is to form a conclusion that is systematically compiling the data that has been collected. III. FINDING AND DISCUSSION A. Reconciliation Phase as a Crucial Phase from the Peace Process. Aceh conflict has formally ended since 2005. The peace process that we are having now is more promising compared to another peace accord in the past. The long conflict occurred in Aceh made the Acehnese people wait for the peace. The people are tired of prolonging conflict which disturbs the daily life of the people. After the peace agreement, as the victim who suffered losses during the conflict, people can regain their normal life. The community has free themselves from worrying about their daily life and working. The benefits are also on the side of ex-combatants of GAM. They are having their peaceful, normal life and not afraid to be chased by the GoI armed force. The life post-peace accord for ex-combatant is an important part to maintain the peace. In integrating their life into the community, there are 2 main aspects; financial and politics. In financial, there are 6 ways which ex-combatants used to earn post-MoU Helsinki. First, many ex-combatants return to pure economic activities. Such as becoming a worker or vendor in several pure economic activities. Second, direct aid. Post MoU, ex-combatants frequently receive aid from various programs to integrated their life into the community. Third, the involvement of GAM members in rehabilitation and reconciliation process just like BRR. Fourth, “pajak nanggroe” or security fee. The “tax” which was given by businessman to ex-combatant is intended to make the business fruitful. The fifth, private business. For example, the success of Pulo Gadeng owned by Muzakir Manaf (ex-highest Commander of GAM) in several projects. The sixth one, through the GAM link where they get the money from GAM leaders who were already becoming executive or legislative members (Aspinnal, 2009: 87). Next is the political aspect, in this case, is the GoI has given the right to Aceh to establish the local parties. Even though this decision has gone through a very long discussion process and hesitation of the central government, but at the end, the Government of Indonesia agree on the option of establishing the local party. This is happy news for ex-GAM members in order to keep their existence in Aceh political life. Local parties in Aceh can be categorized as successfully played the political role. The GoI also accommodate the combatant's request to be the Head of Province/District after the signing of MoU Helsinki by giving a chance for them to nominate themselves through the independent way. After the idea of local Aceh, party has been agreed, the combatants need time to build a local party. But they wanted to soon participate in the local leader's election. The first local leader's election which was held post-conflict proved that the people of Aceh entrusted ex-combatant to be the leader of Aceh. Irwandy Yusuf and Muhammad Nazar, the candidates supported by the combatants successfully won the 2017 direct election of the Governor and Vice Governor with the total votes 768.745 (38,20%) of 2.632.935 registered voters. The domination of Partai Aceh local party increased in Pilkada 2012, confidently proposed their own single (only Partai Aceh, without a coalition with any other parties). The candidates dr. H. Zaini Abdullah - Muzakir Manaf once again absolute majority won 55.78% (1,327,695 votes) Pilkada of 2,350,000 total votes (www.kip.com). Behind the success of Aceh peace by having the MoU Helsinki and the success gained by the ex-combatants in economy and politic, there is a potential conflict which can erupt at any time. The opportunity of reoccurring conflict can be seen because of even it its 13 years old peace post-MoU, there are many obligations and fulfillment of promises by the central government are not implemented appropriately yet. Something that happens in the future is a part of the process in the past. In this research, the writer will compare two movements opposing the GoI That are DI/TII (1953-1962) and GAM. This is to compare and contrast two big conflicts that happened in Aceh after the independence of Indonesia. Also to explain how conflict management should be done to have a comprehensive result without giving a chance where conflict can reoccur. B. DI/ TII Daud Beureueh Conflict It starts with the statement of Daud Bereueh about the Islam Indonesia Country. In the statement, it mentioned that Aceh is part of Negara Islam Indonesia (NII) under the leadership of Great Imam called Sekarmadji Maridjan Kartosoewirjo. The main reason behind the DI/TII Aceh movement are the leaders of Aceh community disappointed with the merging of Aceh province into North Sumatera which has a capital city in Medan. The merging of this province neglect the good deed of Aceh people to fight for Indonesia during the physical revolution of Indonesia Independence (1945-1950). The concern of regaining the power of “ulee balance” and their feudalism system which have become formal leaders for many years before this movement in the scope of culture and Aceh politic (Sastroamidjojo, 1953). The wish of Acehnese to determine the Syariah law in their own life (Reid, 2005: 341).